The Water Magician

CHAPTER TEXT:

In the next moment.

Crack.

Marie definitely heard it in her ears.

The sound of something breaking.

No, was it the sound of the world breaking?

Marie felt that intuitively.

However, nothing around her had changed.

What had changed was the atmosphere enveloping the man in front of her.

"Ah, it's been a while... truly been a while."

His voice was the same as when he spoke to Stefania.

Yet, the power and pressure contained in that voice were entirely different.

If touched, everything would be torn to shreds...

"To have access to all memories is quite refreshing."

Graham's voice and expression remained unchanged.

However, if someone who knew the usual Graham were present... if someone was conscious, they would have been surprised by the change in his tone.

The current Graham was neither a priest's tone nor atmosphere.

A certain kind of higher being.

A certain kind of superior being.

A certain kind of... non-human being.

Marie could hear the words Graham whispered.

Therefore...

"Access? Did that word even exist in this world?"

She pondered such questions.

Marie was a reincarnator, after all.

However, the man in front of her seemed unconcerned.

"A phantom being in the dark continent is rare."

Graham spoke, weaving words while looking at Marie.

As usual, he wore a smile.

However, that smile was not the warm and compassionate smile she knew.

Rather, it was a smile shrouded in a chilling, cruel aura.

Marie searched her memories.

The man in front of her... the one called Graham, who should have been the Pope, emitted a wave that she had felt once before.

Yes, it was close to a high-ranking vampire.

But it was more distorted... mixed... unstable, something she didn't want to approach.

Such a thing.

"Indeed... you're not human."

She didn't clearly understand what he was.

But he was not human.

There was no way he could be.

A human could not exist in such an 'unstable state'...

"We, the phantoms, are also unstable compared to humans. I admit that... but your instability is abnormal."

"Abnormal instability? What an interesting expression, phantom."

Graham replied with a laugh at Marie's words.

"Do you perhaps have a talent for writing? Why not give up being a pawn of the Eastern Provinces and try writing a story?"

"Well, if I can survive and escape here, I might consider it."

"Hahaha. I see, you understand that I won't let you escape."

"Yes, I can strongly feel that awareness."

"You feel that awareness very keenly? Your expressions are indeed interesting. It's a shame I can't read the stories you write."

The moment Graham said that.

Both of them lunged at the same time.

Clang.

The sound of a ringing sword fight echoed.

A series of sounds... each unleashing consecutive strikes.

Attack, defense, attack again, defense again...

The battle saw intense changes in offense and defense.

A completely pure fight of sword against sword.

Graham's sword concealed within his staff and Marie's 'Kotetsu'.

Both executed perfect attacks and perfect defenses, narrowly avoiding injuries.

"You're quite something, phantom."

"My name is Marie!"

"Ah, Marie, I'll remember that."

"You're impressive too, Pope! It's not common for a priest to wield a sword like this."

"Marie doesn't know. Founder Nyu of the Western Church was also a sword saint. It's natural for priests of the church to hone their sword skills."

"A sword saint priest? I didn't know that."

Marie replied honestly to Graham's words.

Even amidst such conversation, the fierce sword fight continued.

"But I've never met a priest who could wield a sword this well until now?"

"Is that so? Did you not fight alongside the inquisitors of the Von Church, including Stefania over there?"

"Inquisitors? Those people in black ceremonial robes with red flower embroidery on their chests?"

"That's right."

"Ah, so they were inquisitors. I thought they were assassins belonging to the church."

Not out of sarcasm, but because Marie genuinely believed that.

She thought they couldn't be anything but assassins when they attacked from the shadows... yet they were completely legitimate priests.